A Single Blade of Grass

Season:

2

MLM Code:

#MLM-205

Production Code:

5C05

Original Airdate:

1997-10-24

Written by Erin Maher & Kay Reindl
Directed by Rodman Flender
Edited by George R. Potter

Several figures wearing false face masks force a Native American man, Daniel Olivaw, to consume rattlesnake venom. As the poison takes effect, one of the masked men, Joe Reynard, asks Daniel to describe what he sees. But Daniel begins to scream and convulse, and falls to the ground in agony.

Daniel's body is discovered at a Manhattan construction site/archeological dig near the remains of a withered, mummified body. New York City Police Sergeant Manny Walters asks Frank for his help in solving the case. Frank cannot help but notice the similarities between the ancient remains and Daniel's corpse, next to which is a false face mask. Walters explains that a dispute has erupted between a construction foreman, Richard Powell, and the head archeologist, Dr. Liz Michaels. Powell, whose crew is mainly Native American, is under pressure to continue the construction work, while Liz insists the site must remain intact until it can be properly excavated.

Frank senses that Daniel's murder transpired in the basement of a nearby hotel. After examining symbols painted on the basement wall, Liz notes a common theme: communication with the spirit world. Later, Frank approaches Joe Reynard inside a bar and, using a napkin, draws a symbol that appeared in one of his internal visions. An old Indian Man steps forward and explains that symbol is a warning. When Frank leaves the bar, Reynard tells his cohorts that Frank "is the one."

An autopsy of Daniel's corpse reveals his appendages were cut from his body and then reattached. Liz explains this ritual was used by the Seneca tribe in attempt to revive the dead after the victim passed into the spirit world and communicated with ancestors. Frank discovers a prayer-stick, a kind of Indian rosary that contains elements of Christianity and Native American religion. On the stick is the same symbol Frank saw in his vision. Later, Frank and Liz are summoned to the construction site when Powell boxes and removes the ancient bones. A fight breaks out between Reynard and Powell, and a few moments later Powell dies of a massive heart attack.

When Frank returns to his car, he discovers that someone placed a false face mask on the back seat. He shows the mask to Liz, who explains it represents the power to walk between the real and spirit worlds. Frank hypothesizes that, hundreds of years ago, an Indian tribe concealed their existence from the white man by blending into existing tribes. Now, in the present day, they have been told by prophesy to reunite. Frank suspects that the prayer stick is "a blueprint for another culture's apocalypse." One of the symbols represents Daniel's journey to the land of the dead, while another represents Frank, whose death will open a door to another plane of existence.

Frank is surrounded by a group of Indians, taken prisoner, and forced to consume rattlesnake venom. He begins experiencing visions... but insists they are not a product of the poison. He predicts the tribe will reunite and buffalo will return. Shortly thereafter, Liz and a group of policemen rescue Frank and take Reynard and his followers into custody. As the group is being led away, four buffalo that escaped from a rodeo run through the streets.